The 2017-18 Tucson Symphony Orchestra season is the first under the baton and direction of José Luis Gomez. It kicks off Sept. 22.

Classics, Pops and SuperPops concerts are held at Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.; MasterWorks are held at Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive, and Oro Valley’s St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 7650 N. Paseo Del Norte. Gomez is conducting unless noted. Here’s the lineup:

Classic Series

  • Season opening “Titan,” with guest pianist Zhang Zuo, Sept. 22 and 24. Program: Carreño’s “Margariteña” (TSO premiere); Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2; Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 “Titan.”
  • “Firebird,” featuring TSO principal flutist Alexander Lipay, Oct. 20 and 22. Debussy’s Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun” (TSO premiere); Stravinsky’s Suite from “Firebird”; Glazunov’s Symphony No. 4 (TSO premiere).
  • “Grieg Piano Concerto,” featuring guest conductor Michael Stern and guest pianist TBA, Nov. 17 and 19. Sibelius’s “Finlandia”; Grieg’s Piano Concerto; Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 “Polish” (TSO premiere).
  • “A New World in Pictures,” featuring guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen, Dec. 1 and 3. Dvorák’s “Carnival Overture” (TSO premiere); Chadwick “Noël” (TSO premiere); Poulenc’s “Les biches” (This Does) Suite (TSO premiere); Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World.”
  • “Bernstein: Kaddish” (part of the Tucson Desert Song Festival), with TSO Chorus and guest vocalists, Jan. 19 and 21. Beethoven’s Overture to “Fidelio”; Mahler’s Adagio from Symphony No. 10; Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3 “Kaddish” (TSO premiere).
  • “Rachmaninoff Rhapsody,” with guest pianist Vadym Kholodenko, Feb. 16 and 18, 2018. Constantino’s commissioned work (world premiere); Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of “Paganini”; Prokofiev’s Selections from “Romeo and Juliet”; Ginastera’s Dances from “Estancia.”
  • “Pictures At An Exhibition,” with guest conductor Marcelo Lehninger and guest violinist Rachel Barton Pine, March 16 and 18. Kabalevsky’s “Colas Breugnon” Overture; Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto; Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.”
  • “Season Finale: Beethoven’s Ninth,” featuring the TSO Chorus, a children’s chorus and guest vocalists, April 6 and 8. John Adams’s “On the Transmigration of Souls” (TSO premiere); Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, “Choral.”

MasterWorks chamber series

  • ”Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 ‘Scottish’,” featuring TSO concertmaster Lauren Roth, Oct. 6-8. Arriaga’s Overture “Pastourelle (1824)” (TSO premiere); Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4; Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3, “Scottish.”
  • “Bizet Symphony in C,” with guest conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni, Nov. 10-12. Chabrier’s “l’Étoile” Overture; Ravel’s “Mother Goose”; Bizet’s Symphony in C (TSO premiere).
  • “Mozart Symphony No. 29,” with guest conductor Jessica Cottis and guest cellist Julian Schwarz, Jan. 5-7. Adès’s Three Studies from “Couperin”; Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1; Mozart’s Symphony No. 29.
  • “Tahiti for Two,” with guest vocalists Sasha Cooke and Kelly Markgraf and the University of Arizona Jazz Trio, Feb. 2-4, 2018. Part of the Tucson Desert Song Festival. Shostakovich’s Tahiti Trot (TSO premiere); Bernstein’s Three Episodes from “On the Town” and “Trouble in Tahiti” (TSO premiere).
  • Schubert & Brahms: Second Symphonies,” March 2-4. Schubert’s Symphony No. 2; Brahms’s Symphony No. 2.

SuperPops

  • “Music of James Bond,” guest conductor Scott Terrell and vocalist Hilary Kole, Oct. 28 and 29.
  • “Let’s Dance!” with guest conductor Stuart Chafetz, guest vocalists and guest dancers, Feb. 10 and 11.
  • “Carole King: Tapestry,” with guest conductor Michael Krajewski and guest vocalists Liz Callaway, Allison Blackwell and Bryce Ryness, March 10-11.

Specials

  • “Dîa de los Muertos” featuring Mariachi Los Camperos, Nov. 3. Concert launches Tucson’s All Souls Procession Weekend.
  • All Souls Finale, Nov. 5, location TBA.
  • “Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Gil Shaham,” Jan. 12, 2018. Glazunov’s Overture “Solennelle”; Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise for Orchestra; Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” Overture and Violin Concerto.

Family Series

  • “The Story of Babar the Elephant,” narrated by Jason Jacobs, zoo administrator of Reid Park Zoo, Feb. 24 at Leo Rich Theatre, 260 S. Church Ave.
  • “Josefina Javelina: A Hairy Tale,” with guest conductor Michael Hall. April 28.
  • “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II” with creator George Daugherty at the podium, Nov. 25-26.

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  • “Magic of Christmas,” with the TSO Chorus and guest conductor Michael Hall, Dec. 16 and 17.

Season tickets on sale now.

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